How the story really goes
by Dilkara
Summary: A retelling of beauty and the beast after disney left off, told from a cynical beasts POV


An un-classic retelling of Beauty (And the emotionally challenged) 'beast'  
  
"Let me tell you a tale, one I'm sure you know well. A classic tale of good over coming evil, right over coming wrong. and all that jazz. The hero of our story? A man who had been most wronged, a man who was righteous and just and handsome and brave, charismatic, brave, dashing, did I say brave? One who is friendly and a credit to society and one who is very, and I mean VERY skilled in the many arts of love ma. but I can see I'm getting carried away. Of course you've all heard of me. Lord Jean Paul Gascoine, he who was the most eligible bachelor in all of France. Fine. Have it your way. The Beast. From Beauty and the Beast? Don't tell me you've forgotten, honestly give a world a few decades and it only forgets the greatest fairy tale character to ever live. Look at you all your so cynical. Well if cynical is what you like your speaking to the right man. Beauty and the Beast is back and we aren't taking no prisoners. Sit and I'll tell you all the details Disney left out. You want happily ever after, I'll give it to you.  
  
Firstly, in regards to the turning away the-old-lady-who-just-so-happened- to-be-an-enchantress in my defence I have to say; would you let a dirty looking woman into your God-fearing home without knowing who she was. I mean come on, Even I've read Snow White. Anyway as we all know to teach me a lesson, or whatever, she turned me into a hideous, yet, I feel, loveable beast. Hey it floated Belle's boat. So there I was, knowing that if I didn't get someone to fall in love with me for who I am by the time the rose she gave me wilted I would remain a beast forever. Now as you may have noticed I was not exactly an eyesore. So becoming a large furry creature with horns a tail and a roar to rival Mufasa's was a bit of a downgrade. Naturally I fell into a deep, deep, bottomless pit of a well of self pity, slowly watching the petals on the red rose fall and becoming more beast like, and quite frankly anti-social, with each passing day. I was fully planning on letting myself rot away and all my household with me. Happy singing kitchenware? I don't think so. Gargoyle like, smaller and less ferocious versions of myself would be the more accurate description of the staff of my castle. Eventually something had to happen or my story would have ended there and happen something certainly did.  
  
It was a dark and stormy night when an old man accidentally wandered into my fortress like home (well actually it is a fortress but in the name of literature.); his unexpected arrival would change my life forever. Naturally I was quite *censored* off at the intrusion, by now I had given up hope of ever finding my one true love and by Jove I certainly wasn't gay, am gay, no wait, are gay. Whatever, I'm not homosexual.  
  
As it turned out I have a lot to thank that old man for. His beautiful daughter Belle came looking for him, and being as brave and noble as she is, she traded places with him, sacrificing herself for an old man. I loved her from that moment. I can never justify the way I treated her, I frightened her and pushed her away. I locked her up, tried to hide her from the world. She would be only mine, I never wanted her to be afraid of me, never that. But I knew she couldn't love me. I could lock her away from everything until all she had was me and she would hate me for it. No, I had plenty of hate I had all the misfortunate souls under my employment who suffered the same miserable fate as me, their hate was strong enough for all the world. I was at a loss as to what to do, so I simmered for a few days, long enough for Belle to become bitter, to hate me like she should, but she never did.  
  
Eventually I let her out of her cell but I kept her in her prison. She wouldn't break her word and try as she might to hate me she couldn't. I don't think she can, hate, I mean. Only weak pitiful creatures like myself can do that. I hate her now, as much as I love her. Hate her for bringing life to this hateful place, hate her for making me love, love only so that I can know the pain of loss.  
  
Eventually we grew close, how I looked had never been an issue for her as it had for me. Who could ever love a beast? We had many ups and downs, I pushed her away, terrified her, almost forced her into deaths jaws once. The irony.  
  
It was another dark and stormy night (It's a fairy tale trend, you try and break it) when the curse was lifted. The local town learnt of my existence, and of my capture of Belle. They were right to want her back. Not so right to try and take her, or to stage an attack against me. My now loyal household were captivated by Belle and liking the changes she brought about in me thought tooth and nail to defend us. It was a bloody battle in the castle below and on the rooftop I fought for my life with someone who probably deserved her more than me.  
  
She is a stubborn woman and stood up for me, and my soul. My nature, for you see I was no longer a beast, rhetorically speaking anyway. I'm quite sure I died that night and I awoke in heaven. I was loved. Me. I had someone to nuture me and laugh at all my little grievances and to cry at all my big ones. I had someone who could see me for who I am, accepting my flaws. The spell was finally broken, yet, it didn't matter to me anymore what I looked like, or who I was, as long as I had her love, and she had mine.  
  
Love is an amazing thing and we lived in bliss for so long. Love. I've never known exactly what it is, it never seems to go away it can fade, but still be as strong. It baffles me to no end. Love it seems to mean never forgetting a single detail about the one you love. It brings out your best, and worst. Every moment you have with them feels like the first, and the last, until it is the last, it's so much that you can't stand it. It's knowing you'd follow them to hell and back, if you could, because without them, you'd be lost yourself.  
  
I have lost myself. I've had her torn away from me, and all this love, this great love I have, has no where to go. It drives me mad. With want, loneliness despair, anger.  
  
Belle died.  
  
In childbirth, of all things. I lost my love, and hope, all the family I've ever had before I even really had it. Before I could even realise how much I loved it. Oh I am happy and perhaps a little bitter, a twisted old man, dying the way I lived before Belle and after her, alone. Vulgar and hated, a beast in all ways possible. As I go I am reminded how life is;  
  
Happy  
  
Ever  
  
After.  
  
. The End." 


End file.
